Air Choice One

Multi-Aero, Inc., doing business as Air Choice One, is an American airline with its headquarters in Concord, Missouri within the Greater St. Louis area.[1] It operates as a regional airline offering commuter flights from St. Louis Lambert International Airport, O'Hare International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport to smaller regional airports, subsidized under the Essential Air Service program.[2] Air Choice One's callsign, 'Weber', is in honor of Mike Weber, the airline's first Chief Pilot.

Air Choice One
IATA ICAO Callsign
3E ACO WEBER
Founded1979 (as Multi-Aero Corporation)
Commenced operations2010
AOC #MUIA594G
Hubs
Frequent-flyer programChoice Plus
Fleet size14
Destinations9
Parent companyMulti-Aero, Inc.
HeadquartersSt. Louis, Missouri, United States
Key peopleShane Storz (CEO)
Darnea Wood (CFO)
Websiteairchoiceone.com

History

Multi-Aero was founded in 1979 under the name Multi-Aero Corporation.[3] In October 2009 Air Choice One won the EAS contract to serve Decatur, Illinois[4] and Burlington, Iowa.[5]

Air Choice One was awarded its first EAS contract to replace[6] SeaPort Airlines in Jonesboro, Arkansas in December 2011.[7] In January 2013, the DOT granted Air Choice One a three-year contract extension for both Decatur, Illinois[8] and Burlington, Iowa.[9] As a stipulation for obtaining both extensions Air Choice One implemented systems for electronic ticketing and baggage agreements via WorldSpan (a part of the global distribution system, or GDS) in December 2012.[8] This allows passengers to book tickets with connections to and from other major airlines on popular travel websites in a "one-click" process, as opposed to buying tickets at one airline and then having to book tickets with another on two separate confirmations.

In March 2014 Muscle Shoals, Alabama city and airport leaders visited the Air Choice One headquarters to consider its EAS contract bid for Northwest Alabama Regional Airport,[10] but the contract was awarded to SeaPort Airlines and later Boutique Air to begin service in 2016.[11][12] Previously, in 2011, Air Choice One had submitted a proposal to the US DOT to serve Muscle Shoals with flights to either Atlanta, Nashville or Memphis. Pending acceptance of the proposal, the airline was planning to begin flights in as little as 30 days.[13] The airline never commenced service to Muscle Shoals.

On April 18, 2014, the DOT awarded Air Choice One a two-year contract to serve Ironwood, Michigan with service to and from Chicago, Illinois. It began service in the summer of 2014.[14]

On December 21, 2017, Air Choice One was granted a four-year contract extension in Burlington, Iowa and was not selected for another term in Decatur, Illinois, marking the end of Air Choice One's nearly eight years of service to Decatur Airport.[15] On January 18, 2018, Air Choice One was approved by the DOT to begin service to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport from Jackson, Tennessee for a term beginning on March 1, 2018 until May 31, 2021.[16] On March 14, 2018, the airline passed the FAA mandated proving runs with its Beechcraft 1900C, meaning that the aircraft is now approved to be used in daily line operations. Air Choice One began operating the aircraft between Fort Dodge, Iowa and both Minneapolis and St. Louis in May 2018 and continues to bid other essential air service routes proposing to use the Beechcraft 1900.

Effective February 1, 2019, the 3-letter ICAO prefix changed from WBR to ACO.[17] In March 2019 the airline started utilizing InteliSys' ameliaRES reservation system which provides flexibility to quickly and reliably integrate with many world-class aviation partners and enter interline agreements. This system provides PSS and departure control system (DCS), reservation management, codeshare, interline and real-time inventory control.[18]

Air Choice One began a new frequent flyer program in early 2020, named Choice Plus. Customers can earn points from flying and redeem them on future flights.

Destinations
City Airport IATA code Destinations Notes
Arkansas
Jonesboro Jonesboro Municipal Airport JBR St. Louis EAS Community
Georgia
Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport ATL Jackson
Illinois
Chicago O'Hare International Airport ORD Burlington
Mason City
Iowa
Burlington Southeast Iowa Regional Airport BRL Chicago O'Hare
Mason City
St. Louis		 EAS Community
Fort Dodge Fort Dodge Regional Airport FOD Mason City
Minneapolis-St. Paul
St. Louis		 EAS Community
Mason City Mason City Municipal Airport MCW Burlington
Chicago O'Hare
Minneapolis-St. Paul		 EAS Community
Minnesota
Minneapolis Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport IWD Fort Dodge
Mason City
Missouri
St. Louis St. Louis Lambert International Airport STL Burlington
Fort Dodge
Jackson
Jonesboro		 Hub
Tennessee
Jackson McKellar–Sipes Regional Airport MKL Atlanta
St. Louis		 EAS Community

Former Destinations
City Airport IATA code Destinations Notes
Illinois
Decatur Decatur Airport JBR Chicago-O'Hare
St. Louis		 EAS Community | Cape Air awarded contract
Michigan
Ironwood Gogebic–Iron County Airport IWD Chicago-O'Hare
Minneapolis-St. Paul		 EAS Community | Boutique Air awarded contract
Missouri
Kirksville Kirksville Regional Airport IRK St. Louis EAS Community | Cape Air awarded contract

Codeshare agreements

Air Choice One does not participate in any major global airline alliances, nor does it have any codeshare agreements.[19]

Fleet
Air Choice One Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX
Three Air Choice One aircraft on their hangar's ramp at STL

Air Choice One operates the following aircraft:

Air Choice One fleet
Aircraft In fleet Orders Passengers Notes
Beechcraft 1900C 2 2 9 Currently configured for 9 with intent for 19 upon FAA approval expected Q3 2020
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan 12 0 8 One aircraft used as Air Choice Cargo with an all cargo interior
Total 14 2

Choice Plus

Air Choice One began a new frequent flyer program, named Choice Plus. Customers that sign up for the program will earn points on every Air Choice One flight, when they enter their rewards number. Depending on the fare chosen, a different percentage of points will be applied.[20]

  • Business Fare - 100%
  • Everyday - 60%
  • Go Your Way - 20%

For every dollar spent, one point is earned. These points will expire after two years.

References
  1. "Facebook - Info.". Retrieved on July 19, 2011. "12300 Old Tesson Road Suite 200-F St. Louis 63128"
  2. "Air Choice One begins offering flights to St. Louis". Kirksville Daily Express. 2008-08-01. Archived from the original on 2009-08-26. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
  3. "About Air Choice One - The Company". Air Choice One. Archived from the original on 2009-08-26. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
  4. Freeman, Huey. Decatur a step closer to restoring air service to O'Hare, Herald & Review, October 23, 2009, Retrieved 2009-10-23
  5. Crippes, Christina Regional airport gets choice of new carrier, The Hawk Eye, October 23, 2009, Retrieved 2009-10-27
  6. "Air Choice One to fly into Jonesboro as new EAS carrier". HarrisonDaily.com. Retrieved 2012-01-03.
  7. "Air Choice One JBR Flight Schedule" (PDF). Air Choice One. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-30. Retrieved 2012-01-03.
  8. Voyles, Ryan Way cleared for Air Choice One to serve Decatur for three more years, Herald Review, January 8, 2013, Retrieved 2013-02-24
  9. Air Choice One has been granted a three-year extension to its current Department of Transportation Essential Air Service Contract which provides air service for the community of Burlington, Fort Madison Daily Democrat, January 11, 2013, Retrieved 2013-02-24
  10. "2 carriers show interest in Shoals airport". WAAF-TV. 2014-03-12. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  11. "SeaPort calling it quits after less than a year". TimesDaily. Retrieved 2016-02-01.
  12. "Boutique Air secures Muscle Shoals, AL EAS contract". ch-aviation. Retrieved 2016-02-01.
  13. McLaughlin, Budd (October 14, 2011). "Missouri air carrier proposes serving Northwest Alabama Regional Airport". The Huntsville Times.
  14. "DOT Awards EAS Contract for Ironwood, MI to Air Choice One". Air Choice One. 2014-04-18. Archived from the original on 2014-04-19. Retrieved 2014-04-19.
  15. "Regulations.gov". regulations.gov. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  16. "Regulations.gov". regulations.gov. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  17. "FAA Orders & Notices" (PDF). www.faa.gov. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  18. "InteliSys Aviation Welcomes Air Choice One to the Amelia Family". www.airchoiceone.com. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  19. "Air Choice One - Book Your Flight Today!". Air Choice One. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  20. DELT. "Join Our Rewards Program". Air Choice One. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
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